Els, second and third when the Open was staged at Lytham in 1996 and 2001 respectively, had finished in style with a birdie on the 18th to complete a closing 68 and set the clubhouse target on 7-under-par.

Scott found a fairway bunker off the 18th tee but still had the chance to force a four-hole play-off after hitting his third shot to eight feet, but missed as Els looked on from the putting green.

It means the Open has been won by a 42-year-old for the second year in succession after Darren Clarke’s victory 12 months ago, while Els’ fourth major title comes 10 years after his last, when he lifted the Claret Jug in Muirfield after a four-man play-off.

Els admitted he was only hoping for a play-off after he had finished his round, adding: ``I'm a little numb at the moment.

“First of all I feel for Adam. He is a great friend of mine. We both wanted to win very badly but it’s the nature of the beast. That’s why we are out here. It was my time for some reason.

“A lot of people never thought I would win (another major). I started believing this year, I had a lot of help from a great team, my family and the professional team around me.”

Scott, who had started the day four shots ahead of Brandt Snedeker and Graeme McDowell, said: “I’m pretty disappointed. I had it in my hands and managed to hit a poor shot on each of the closing four holes.

“But I played so beautifully for most of the week I certainly should not let this get me down.”